The Impact of Safety Equipment on the Growth and Profitability of DSC Marine Limbe
Abstract
Safety
equipment has always been effective in the contribution of the growth and
profitability of companies in Cameroon, Africa and World. Hence, safety
equipment plays a major role in the growth and profitability of DSC Marine
Limbe. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of safety
equipment on the growth and profitability of companies using DSC Marine as my
case study.
A
cross sectional survey research design was found to be appropriate as per the
design for the sample distribution that was formulated. The total samples of
this study comprised of DSC Marine workers. The hold sample consists of total
of 50 workers.
A
greater proportion have work in the area for the period between 5 to 10 years
of the respondents under categories of education are holder of GCE Advance
Level, a greater proportion are married, as per the age group, majority of the
respondent are age range from 30 to 39 and female workers [n+38] are more than
male workers The overall date respective to each variable was collected from
perception from different workers interviewed.
These
obtained date were analyzed by using both the primary and secondary sources of
data collection as well as questionnaires that were used which where been
presented with table sand charts below. From the analysis it was found out that
the board of directors. Middle level management has a positive effect on DSC
Marine Limbe.
It
is thus good policy recommendation and lower level management has a positive
and significant role on safety equipment on the growth and profitability of
company’s case study DSC Marine. The research recommends that BOD of primary
companies should set up strategies to be used targeting safety as well as laid
down procedures.
CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTION
This
chapter focuses on the background information to maritime safety and security
on the growth and profitability of any company using DSC Marine as my case
study to this research. It further went ahead to bring out the problem
statement, research questions, research objectives, research hypothesis, scope
and significant of the study and synopsis of the study.
1.1 Background Of The Study
When
talking about the topic of maritime safety and security as a kind of
‘umbrella’, it might not be seen as very relevant. However, if it is understood
as something everyone is affected, hence responsible for, if the focus is
rather on the different elements of maritime safety when talking about the
topic of maritime safety and security as a kind and security like ‘response’,
‘resilience’ or ‘migration’, then it becomes a very relevant topic. And as
maritime safety and security is something affecting everyone, successful
cooperation in the field of maritime safety and security is a good way to show
the added value of cooperation, to show that interred actually can make a
difference.
Unfortunately, the interest in maritime safety and security always gets a boost once some major disaster happens (MS Estonia in 1994 or Costa Concordia in 2001). A number of important EU policy documents, of which the most important is the White Paper “European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decite”, have put increasing emphasis on maritime safety. These documents make it clear that even though the maritime safety record is considered acceptable, and even though this mode is considered environment-friendly, more is to be done to increase maritime safety even further.
For instance, an IMO rule on the strength of
transverse bulkheads in bulk carriers, a national regulation on vessel traffic
separation, a regulation on the banning of alcohol use on board, a P&I club
rule on liability and compensation, an engine maintenance practice, and, last
but not least, the US Oil Pollution Act of 1990, all may be classified under
the realm of “maritime safety policy.
The
main player in the international maritime safety regulatory regime is the
International Maritime Organization (IMO), and specifically the International
Convention on Safety of life at sea (also known as SOLAS), which is IMO’s basic
forum dealing with maritime safety. In addition to SOLAS, the IMO also adopts
other measures that may impact maritime safety, either directly or indirectly.
Examples
are the Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping of
Seafarers (also known as the STCW Convention) and the High Speed Craft Code
(HSC Code). The IMO does not implement or enforce regulations, that being the
responsibility of member states.
To promote a scientific approach to maritime safety, the Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) methodology has been proposed and the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) is tasked to implement this methodology in the years ahead.
The
International Safety Management (ISM) Code is seen as one of the instrument
that would enhance safety for ships that are certified to comply with it.
Classification
societies and IACS (the International Association of Classification Societies)
are expected to play a critical role in that regard. Quality shipping campaigns
regard the implementation of the ISM Code as their central pillar (Cullinan,
2007). In parallel to the IMO, IACS is influential in the development of
standards that pertain to safety.
In
addition to the above, a number of other important players have key roles in
the development, implementation and enforcement of maritime safety regulations.
These players include flag states, port states, international bodies such as
the European Union (EU), labour organisations such as the International Labour
Organisation (ILO), the shipping companies themselves, and other maritime
related industries (ports, shippers, shipyards, P&I clubs, environment
groups, etc are some the examples of organization that are been created both at
work place and maritime world at last that fight for safety of workers at all
level for the growth and profitability of any company (Adams, 1997)
In
Africa, maritime security has become a priority for most Africa countries since
the early 2000s when kidnapping was on the rise and later in that decade, when
piracy become a major threat to international trade.
The Republic of Cameroon is a country in central Africa bordered by Nigeria to the West, Chad to the Northeast, The Central African Republic to the East, Gabon and the Republic of Congo to the South. Cameroon’s coastline lies between the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. With more than 400km long of coastline, Cameroon has five ports;
The Douala port located in the littoral region and
handles about 95% of imports and exports for the country as well as some
neighbouring landlocked countries like the Central African Republic, Chad even
the Northern Congo Brazzaville making it a gateway to these countries and a
pole of reference at the heart of the Gulf of Guinea (Cameroon National Ports
Authority, 2015)
The
Kribi seaport which is newly constructed and located in the South region of the
country with a view to help decongest the Douala port and serves the needs of
industrial companies involved in mining, transporting and receiving heavy types
of equipment for mineral extraction and it is also essential for commerce (Port
Authority of Kribi, 2018).
The
Limbe and Tiko seaports which are secondary ports and located in the South West
Region of the country essentially designed for the handling of petroleum
products for the refinery unit in Limbe and for the export of timber and serve
as the liaison between Tiko in Cameroon and Calaba in Nigeria respectively
(Cameroon National Ports Authority, 2010).
The
port of Garoua, located in the Northern part of the country is regarded as a
seasonal port and serves the Northern region and neighboring Nigeria (Cameroon
National Ports Authority, 2010). With an average of over 1400 foreign vessels
calling the ports of Cameroon annually, and given its advantageous geographical
location, its objectives over the years have been to make the National a hub in
maritime transport, positioning Cameroon as logistic platform for the Gulf of
Guinea (Port Authority of Douala, 2017).
Maritime transport accounting for about 12 billion tons of cargo transported by over 50,000ships sailing through the oceans remains an indispensable means of transportation of goods and contributes substantially to the vitality of international trade and economic growth across the globe (UNCTAD, 2018).
To this effect, the
shipping industry of course without a doubt is very globalized with its
uniqueness given that, commercial sail from one jurisdictional water to
another.
There
is, therefore a strong need for international cooperation to accomplish
challenging objectives, such as clean oceans, safe ships as well as competent
crew. Generally, Africa relies greatly on ports and ships to service its
international trade. Based on 2017 statistics, Africa contributes an average of
2.7% to global trade by value (5% of imports and 7% of exports). Although
one-third of the continent is comprised of landlocked countries, maritime
transport still remains the key gateway to the global African marketplace
(UNTCAD, 2018).
The
maritime industry is not proactive; however, its trend of evolution has always
been triggered by major maritime disasters (incidents and casualties) such as the
Titanic, Amoco Cadiz, the Prestige, the Torrey Canyon, and the Erica which led
to significant marine pollution and many losses of lives.
These
marine disasters have been the key drivers for the emergence and development of
international maritime regulatory conventions. The inspection regime was
implanted into these maritime international regulatory conventions and
subsequently regional cooperation on port state control (PSC) was developed
(Bang & Jang, 2012). It is necessary to highlight that these PSC regimes
exist because some ship owners and flag states use loopholes created by the
international nature of the industry to save cost by operating below the
minimum safety standards (Ozcayir, 2018).
1.2 Statement Of The Problem
Constraint
to safety equipment refers to the limitation or factors that hinder the
increment of workers output and their growth within a company. These
constraints to safety equipment on the growth of profitability of a company are
the main declined in the transportation of petroleum product (crude oil) on
behave of SONARA their main trading partner. As a result, many have a negative
impact on the company output.
Also, some people ask question on how goods are being handle on board a ship and even with other mood of transport, are safety measure being put in place and also how they are being carry out in terminal operation.
Why is it that safety is
important in shipping operation, what are some of the effect of this and cant
this problem be solve and how. These constraints thus hinder the wellbeing of
workers of DSC Marine which has brought hardship to some of the worker during
their operation.
Thus,
this study seeks to investigate the impact of safety on the growth or
profitability of any company. The various constraints to lack of safety at the
work site and the attempted solutions made to improve safety measures at DSC
Marine.
1.3 Research Questions
1.3.1 Main Research Question
What
is the impact of safety equipment on the growth and profitability of DSC
Marine?
1.3.2 Subsidiary Research Question
- How does personal assortative equipment on the growth and profitability of DSC Marine?
- How would lifting appliances lead to the growth and profitability of DSC Marine?
- How do portable ladders affect the growth and profitability of DSC Marine?
